Windows 7 power users guide

First published in 2009 by Mike Halsey ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
www.thelongclimb.com
The author would like to thank the following
Copyright © Mike Halsey 2009 people without whose help and support this
book might not have been possible.
The right of Mike Halsey to be identified as the
author of this work has been asserted by him in Duncan Buchanan
accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Rich Gilbane
Patents Act 1988. Richard Gough-Thomas
Larry Hall
All rights reserved. No part of this publication
James Halsey
may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into
Rachel Hymans
a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or
Phil Smith
by any means, electronic, mechanical,
Jake Webster
photocopying, recording or otherwise, without
Rory Webster
the prior written permission of the copyright
holder. And Martin and Everton at Windows 7 News.com

Windows®, Windows XP®, Windows Vista®, Finally a big thank you goes out to my mother,
Windows 7®, Office 2007® and Office 2010® are whose desire to find out more about how
Trademarks of the Microsoft Corporation. Windows works was all the prompting I needed
to write this book.

Windows 7 Power Users Guide by Mike Halsey
www.thelongclimb.com 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Starting ....................................................................................... 5
About this book
Installing ..................................................................................... 7
Installing and getting started with Windows 7
Exploring ................................................................................... 19
Finding your way around
Working..................................................................................... 37
Get more done with Windows 7
Searching .................................................................................. 49
Searching for files and data
Connecting ................................................................................ 57
Communicating with our home and the outside world
Securing .................................................................................... 65
Keeping your PC and your files safe
Configuring................................................................................ 75
Get Windows 7 running at its best
Playing ...................................................................................... 91
Games and having fun and Windows 7
Communicating ....................................................................... 101
Connecting with your friends, family, work and home
Guaranteeing ........................................................................... 107
Helping make sure the worst never happens
Maintaining ............................................................................. 115
Keeping Windows 7 running quickly and smoothly
Diagnosing .............................................................................. 119
Problem-solving and fixing problems in Windows 7
Tweaking ................................................................................. 129
Tweaks and tips to get even more out of Windows 7
Upgrading................................................................................ 133
Improving your PC and upgrading Windows 7
Finishing ............................................................................................................... 138
Glossary and appendixes

www.thelongclimb.com 4

INTRODUCTION WINDOWS 7
EDITIONS
Microsoft Windows 7 offers a
great many advanced features QUICK TIP
and is highly configurable. As with all editions of
There is a great deal you can Windows, Windows 7 comes
do to customise your system, in different product The benefits of
maintain it, simplify using it versions. The ones you‘ll
encounter will be Starter,
Windows 7
and make it a more
pleasurable experience all Home Premium, the most over XP and
round. common edition and Vista
Professional for advanced
This guide will take you systems and businesses.
Ultimate will contain every I have Windows
through everything you need
to know in easy steps with feature. XP : Windows 7 is
quick tips and step-by-step considerably more
guides. Not all features are
available in every product secure and safer to
edition. In this guide I will use on the internet
WHO IS THIS GUIDE display icons to show what than Windows XP.
versions features are
FOR? available in. For this reason
alone you should
This guide is for non- consider upgrading
technical, casual, users of
to Windows 7. Use
Windows. If you use a PC at
home for sending and the upgrade checker
receiving email, browsing the on the Microsoft
web and maybe odd jobs like website to see if
writing letters and editing WHY SHOULD I
digital photographs then this your PC will run it.
is the book for you. INSTALL WINDOWS 7?
I have Windows
Any features for Windows 7 makes great Vista : Windows 7
advanced users will leaps over previous versions
be highlighted with fixes almost all of
of Windows. It is
this logo. significantly more secure the performance
than Windows XP and issues that caused
Windows Vista. Windows Vista to
WHAT IS WINDOWS 7? run slowly. The
EASE OF ACCESS AND security system,
Windows 7 is the latest in a
long line of different versions User Account
of Microsoft‘s operating DISABILITIES HELP Control (UAC) is also
system. now considerably
Look for this icon
Windows 7 builds on the within this book for less annoying. Any
success of operating systems information on how PC running
such as Windows XP and fixes to use the ease of Windows Vista will
many of the problems access features.
happily run
associated with Windows
Vista. You can find out more These are here to help Windows 7.
at... people who may have
trouble using the Windows
www.windows7.com 7 and software because
they have trouble reading
small text, listening for
prompts or using a
keyboard and mouse.

6 www.thelongclimb.com

INSTALLING
Windows 7 versions ................................................................................9
Will my PC run Windows 7? ......................................................................9
Clean install or Upgrade? .........................................................................9
Upgrading from Windows XP ............................................................9
Upgrading from Windows Vista ....................................................... 10
Upgrading from other versions ....................................................... 10
What is 64 bit Windows? ................................................................ 10
Upgrading from 32 to 64 bit ........................................................... 10
Clean install from upgrade only key ................................................ 10
Plug in and turn on your devices ............................................................. 11
Windows Easy Transfer.......................................................................... 11
Common Windows features by version .................................................... 12
Choosing a web browser (EU only) .......................................................... 13
Help .................................................................................................... 13
Getting Started .................................................................................... 13
Install anti-virus ................................................................................... 13
Step-by-step—Installing Windows 7 ................................................. 14-18

QUICK TIPS

What is the difference between a clean install and an upgrade? ....................9
32 or 64 bit? ........................................................................................ 10
Always backup your files........................................................................ 11
Missing drivers? .................................................................................... 13

WINDOWS VERSIONS CLEAN INSTALL OR
As with all editions of
UPGRADE?
QUICK TIP Windows, Windows 7 comes
in different product When you upgrade your copy
What is the versions. The ones you‘ll of Windows all of your files,
difference encounter will be Starter, data and programs will remain
Home Premium, the most intact. However not every
between a version of Windows 7 will
common edition and
clean install Professional for advanced allow you to upgrade.
and an systems and businesses. You cannot upgrade from
upgrade Ultimate will contain every any copy of Windows XP
feature. and you cannot upgrade from
If you have files on a copy of Windows Vista that
In this guide I will display is a higher product edition to
your computer that
icons for the different the version of Windows 7 you
aren’t backed up features to say in which are installing. For example,
then you should versions of Windows 7 they you cannot upgrade Windows
opt for an upgrade. are available. Vista Ultimate to Windows 7
Home Premium.
This will keep all
your files intact. The best advice is always to
However any make sure all your files and
data are backed up, see the
problems that exist Each version of Windows 7 Guaranteeing chapter of this
on your PC may also contains more features than book for how to do this, and
be there after the editions below it, a su- do a clean install. This will
perset of each one. Home make sure you get the fastest,
installing Windows Basic lacks the glass aero least problematic installation
7. effects and Media Centre possible. Upgrading can
but is fine for low-power cause any problems you
A clean install will computers. Home Premium currently have with your copy
delete all the files will contain all the features of Windows to also exist after
a home user needs. the upgrade to Windows 7.
on your drive and
you will also have to Each version of Windows 7
reinstall all of your contains more features than UPGRADING FROM
the one below it.
programs.
WINDOWS XP
Later in this chapter is a list
Not every edition of the most common fea-
tures in Windows 7, broken Windows 7 will not allow you
of Windows will perform an in-place upgrade
down by each edition of the
allow you to operating system. from any edition of Windows
upgrade, some will XP, trying to do so will give
you an error message.
force you to do a
clean install WILL MY PC RUN On the Windows 7 DVD is a
program called Windows Easy
It is always a good
WINDOWS 7? Transfer that you can run in
idea to back up all Windows XP (and Vista) to
You can find an upgrade back up out files and settings
your files and data checker to find this out from to another location, either an
first. Microsoft for Windows 7 at.. external hard disk or another
partition, that can later be
www.windows7.com restored after performing a
clean installation of Windows
...run this software under 7. Getting Started in the
Windows XP or Windows Start Menu has an option to
Vista. restore this.

9

UPGRADING FROM This is the best way to
ensure that all your
WINDOWS VISTA hardware and programs will
work properly.
You can perform an in-place
QUICK TIP
upgrade from Windows Vista.
The following versions will UPGRADING FROM 32 32 or 64 bit?
allow an upgrade depending
on what editions of Vista and TO 64 BIT
Windows 7 you are upgrading The difference
from and to... Windows won‘t allow you to between 32 and 64
upgrade in-place from a 32 bit software is the
bit version of Windows to a
64 bit version, nor will it size of the numbers
UPGRADING FROM allow you to perform an the PC can do
OTHER VERSIONS upgrade the other way calculations on.
around. To change
between these versions you
Windows 7 will not allow will have to perform a clean 64 bit operating
upgrading from other versions install. systems are slightly
of Windows. This includes all
versions before Windows XP faster because of
(Windows ME, Windows 98 this.
etc.) and all versions of CLEAN INSTALL FROM
Windows Server. Windows 7 also
UPGRADE ONLY
includes additional
PRODUCT KEY security
WHAT IS 64 BIT functionality that
WINDOWS? It is possible to perform a
makes the 64 bit
clean install of Windows 7
with a product key that will version of the
Each edition of Windows 7 only allow you to upgrade operating system
comes in two flavours, 32 bit it.
and 64 bit. The edition you more secure.
have will be printed on your To do this do a clean install
install DVD. Most new PCs Windows once without On the downside
now come with the 64 bit entering a product key, it older hardware and
version of the operating will allow you to do this. software might not
system pre-installed, however Now run the installer again
there can be a downside. and perform an upgrade be supported. For
over the clean install you best results run the
While the 64 bit versions of have just done. Your Windows 7 upgrade
Windows offer better security product key will now be
and stability, there is still accepted as valid for checker and check
hardware and software that installation. with a
won‘t run on it. manufacturer’s
If you have the Windows Vista Windows 7 website for your
choice of which hardware to see if
version to buy then Home Basic Home Basic, Home 64 bit drivers exist.
opt for the 32 bit Premium, Professional,
version. You should Ultimate
only buy the 64 bit
version of Windows 7 Home Premium Home Premium,
at this stage if it has Professional, Ultimate
been pre-installed on
your PC. Business Professional, Ultimate
Ultimate Ultimate


PLUG IN AND TURN The wizard in your ―old PC‖
will guide you through making
ON YOUR DEVICES a backup.

QUICK TIP You will have a much
You can transfer files toy our
new PC through am Easy
happier installation Transfer Cable available from
Always backup experience if all your some PC and electronics
your files hardware is plugged in and stores, across a network or
switched on when you are via an external hard disk or
installing Windows. This USB flash drive.
Remember that all greatly increases the
sorts of things can chance that Windows will Bear in mind that the size of
potentially go install the drivers for all the backup the Windows Easy
your hardware and that it Transfer wizard makes on
wrong when you’re
will all work when the your old operating system
installing a new installation is complete. could be very substantial as
version of Windows all your music, documents,
from a hardware This includes printers, video, pictures and photos will
scanners, mp3 players etc. be copied.
failure to a simple
power cut. All of If you do not have a storage
these can lose your WINDOWS EASY medium onto which you can
valuable make the backup, or cannot
TRANSFER connect the two PCs directly
documents , photos via a cable or across a
and music. Available in every version network, you should back up
of Windows since Windows all your data and settings
Always back up XP, Windows Easy Transfer (see the chapter
is a way to transfer all your Guaranteeing for how to do
your data before this) onto removable media
documents, email, internet
installing Windows
favourites and more to such as CD, DVD or BluRay
7. your new PC. Disc.

For information on
how to do this refer
to chapter
Guaranteeing.

To find out how to
back up your files in
Windows XP or
Vista follow the
links on page 7 of
this guide.

11

COMMON WINDOWS FEATURES BY VERSION

Windows Basic UI Windows Update
Windows Aero Glass UI Windows Firewall
Aero Peek Windows Defender
Aero Snap Windows Backup
Aero Shake Create System Image
Aero Background Advanced Backup
Windows Flip Encrypted File System
Windows Flip 3D Bitlocker Drive Encryption
Live Taskbar Previews Bitlocker To Go
Explorer File Preview Automatic Disk
Defragmenter
Jumplists
Windows ReadyBoost
Windows Search
Previous Versions
Action Centre

Parental Controls

Basic Games Multi-Touch / Tablet PC

Premium Games Sync Centre

Calculator Offline Files

Paint Windows Mobility Centre

Snipping Tool Windows Sideshow

Sticky Notes HomeGroup sharing Join

Windows Journal Location Aware printing

Wordpad
Windows Photo Viewer
Windows Media Player Remote Desktop
Windows Media Centre Remote Desktop Host
DVD Player Join a domain
Windows DVD Maker Connect to a projector

CHOOSING A WEB HELP
BROWSER (EU ONLY)
QUICK TIP If you live in the European
Help is always
available in
Union the Internet
Windows 7 by
Missing drivers? Explorer web browser is
selecting Help
not installed by default in
and Support
If the drivers for any Windows 7. The browser
from the Start
hardware have not ballot screen will let you
Menu.
been installed in choose and install a
Windows it’s easier browser.
that in previous
More information on this
GETTING STARTED
versions of
as and when the EU get
Windows to install You can open Getting Started
their fact together! from the Start Menu. Here
them.
you can personalise Windows,
Find out how to do transfer files from your old
computer or add users to your
this in the chapter PC.
Configuring.

INSTALL ANTI-VIRUS
The new Action Centre in the
system tray will highlight it‘s
warning flag with a red cross
to alert you that you will need
to install anti-virus software.

13

STEP BY STEP—INSTALLING WINDOWS 7
Your experience installing Windows 7 will change slightly depending on whether
you are upgrading or
performing a clean install.
Your install experience
therefore may not include all the steps
shown this guide.

If you are upgrading from within your
existing copy of Windows you will be
asked if you want to ―go online to get the
latest updates‖. Doing this can make for a
smoother installation experience and
ensure more of your hardware works from
the moment Windows is installed.

If you are performing a
clean install you will be
asked what country you
live in and what language you want
Windows 7 installed in.

Choose these and Press Next.

When prompted at the next
screen, press the Install Now
button to begin your
installation.


At the next screen,
depending on whether you
are performing an upgrade
or a clean install, you will be asked
which version of Windows 7 you are
installing. Choose the version for which
you have a valid licence and click Next.

The next step is to accept the
licence agreement. You will
need to pick a tick in
the I agree box and
click Next to proceed.

At this point you must
choose whether you wish to
upgrade your existing copy
of Windows, if you have one
installed, or perform a clean install.
Performing a clean install will give
you a better, faster copy of
Windows but you will need to make
sure you have backed up all of your
files first as it will wipe them.

The next few steps
only apply to
doing a clean
install. First Windows will
ask on which disk or partition you
want to install Windows (see the
glossary for more information
on what these are) [step continues on
next page]

15

You may want to wipe the drive or partition
before installing Windows. This deletes all
files and data on the disk so you can start
with a clean drive. You can click on Drive
options (advanced) to get to this feature
and then choose Format.

Be very careful to only format the drive on
which you want to install Windows 7.

Click Next to start the installation.

Windows will now
begin the installation
process. Your
computer will restart once or
twice during this process but you
will not need to do anything else
until it completes.

This can take 20 to 30 minutes for
a clean install or up to several
hours for an upgrade.

When installation is
complete you will be asked
for your name, this will be
the name for the main
administrator [master] account on
the PC and your name for the PC
itself.

You might like Bob or Mary and Jane
as the account name and the name of
your PC could be Study or Phil’s PC.
You can set these to be anything you
want.

You will then be asked if you
want to set up a
password for this
account. If you do not
want to do this just leave the
boxes blank and press Next.

If you plan on using the parental
controls in Windows 7 to help
determine what games your children
can play and when they can use the
PC, you will need to set a password.


Windows will now ask you to
enter your product key. This is
the 25 character code that
came with your copy of
Windows. You will find it on a sticker
on the case for your PC or inside the box
your Windows 7 install DVD came in.

You can proceed without entering a product
key if, for instance, you are just evaluating
the features in a version of Windows 7
before choosing which one is best for you to
buy.

Windows update is the
system that helps keep
your copy of Windows
secure and up-to-date with
the latest patches. You will be asked
if / how you want Windows to update
itself. I recommend you select use
recommended settings and click Next.

We‘re almost done. The only
steps left are to set a few
settings particular to your
location and preferences.

This screen will ask for your time-zone and
for you to confirm the current time and
date.

If you have a wireless wi-fi
network set up and
Windows has recognised
the drivers, you will be asked what
type of network this is. Select the
option that best describes your wi-fi
network and click Next. Windows will
now set your internet security
accordingly.

17

Windows may now
ask you if you want
to set up a Home
Group. This will enable you
to share files, photos, music and
video with other PCs running
Windows 7 in your home.

You can skip this step by
pressing Cancel as this feature
can be set up later. We will
cover this in the chapter
Connecting.

We‘re finished!
You will now see
the Windows 7
desktop and can get
started using Windows.


EXPLORING
The Windows 7 Desktop ........................................................................ 22
The taskbar ................................................................................. 22
The notification area ..................................................................... 22
The Start Menu .................................................................................... 23
Pinning start menu items ............................................................... 23
Getting started ............................................................................. 23
Using the taskbar ................................................................................. 24
Live thumbnails ............................................................................ 24
Show desktop .............................................................................. 24
Notification area ........................................................................... 24
Taskbar jumplists ......................................................................... 25
Pinning items to jumplists .............................................................. 25
Pinning programs to the taskbar ..................................................... 25
The action centre.......................................................................... 26
Windows Explorer ................................................................................. 27
Navigation Pane ........................................................................... 27
The Breadcrumb Bar ..................................................................... 28
Previous locations ......................................................................... 28
Choosing how to view files ............................................................. 28
Sorting and Grouping Files ............................................................. 29
Previewing Files ............................................................................ 29
Collapsing groups ......................................................................... 29
Working with folders ..................................................................... 29
The details pane ........................................................................... 30
The menu bar .............................................................................. 30
Hiding picture and photo names ............................................................. 31
Switching between windows................................................................... 31
Flip 3D ........................................................................................ 31
Step-by-step—Changing the default view in Windows Explorer ................. 32
Remembering windows sizes .................................................................. 33
Moving your files away from Windows ..................................................... 33
Step-by-step—Moving your files for data security .............................. 34-36
Part 1—Creating a new partition ..................................................... 34
Part 2—Moving your files ............................................................... 36

QUICK TIPS

A call to action ..................................................................................... 22
Jumplists in the Start Menu ................................................................... 23
Pin items to the Start Menu ................................................................... 23
Using thumbnails to organise Windows .................................................... 24
Running two instances of a program from the Taskbar .............................. 25
Where have all the notification area icons gone? ...................................... 26
Customise your favourite links ............................................................... 27
Change the default explorer view ........................................................... 28
Sorting and grouping by more criteria ..................................................... 29
Different Views in different folders .......................................................... 29
Use the details pane ............................................................................. 30
Want more detail on files? ..................................................................... 30
Hide the names of all your pictures ......................................................... 31
Keep your documents safe..................................................................... 33

THE WINDOWS 7 THE NOTIFICATION
DESKTOP AREA
There have been some changes One of the criticisms in
QUICK TIP
made to the desktop with previous versions of
Windows 7. Some of these Windows was how annoying A call to Action
changes may be familiar to the notification area became.
you, especially if you‘ve been This is the area on the right
The new flag in the
using Windows Vista, others side of the taskbar that filled
are completely new. up with icons and alert notification area,
the far right of the
taskbar, is now the
only place you need
to go to , to receive
notifications about
Windows and other
software (including
anti-virus software).

The flag will
highlight with a
cross when there’s a
message for you.

THE TASKBAR balloons, telling you about
things happening on your
Sometimes called the superbar PC.
this is completely redesigned in
Windows 7. You can read more I will talk at more length
about the new taskbar and how about the new notification
it works later in this chapter area later in this chapter.
but it is now a place from
which you can both launch and
manage running and non-
running programs and
applications.
It is
essentially a
merging of
the old
taskbar and
quick launch
area.


THE START MENU
The Start Menu hasn‘t
QUICK TIP changed much since
Windows Vista but now
includes jumplists which
Jumplists in the will pop out when you
Start Menu click the arrow on the
right side of some Start
Some Start Menu Menu items.
items have a small There is also a search
arrow to their right. box you can
Clicking this will use to find
programs and
bring out a list of files.
options or recent
files / disk locations.

This can simplify
access to common
files and features
within programs. PINNING START
MENU ITEMS
You can pin programs
Pin items to to the Start Menu so
the Start Menu they always
appear there.
If you pin a program You can do this by
right clicking with
to the Start Menu it your mouse and
will always appear selecting Pin to
in the Start Menu taskbar. You can
also pin items to
whenever you press the taskbar this
the Windows key. way and unpin
items.
Right click the
program with your
mouse and select GETTING STARTED
pin / unpin to Start
The first item in the
Menu to do this. Start Menu is called
Getting Started.
You can click on
this to open it in
it‘s own window or
open its jumplist.

Here you can
perform post-install
duties such as
personalising your
desktop and adding
more users.

23

USING THE TASKBAR SHOW DESKTOP
The new taskbar is the main
place from which to launch QUICK TIP
programs and manage running
programs.
At the very bottom right of
Using
You can pin programs to the your screen (the far right of thumbnails to
taskbar in the same way as the taskbar) is a small organise
pinning them to the Start button which will show you
Menu (see Pinning Start Menu your desktop. windows
Items) on the previous page.
If you have a lot of
windows open on
your desktop you
can use the live
thumbnails to
organise them.
Hovering over a
thumbnail on the
taskbar will make all
other windows
transparent and
show you the
Rolling your mouse over this selected window,
LIVE THUMBNAILS button will make all the
windows on your desktop go even if that window
transparent. Clicking it will is minimised.
minimise every window. If
you click this button again
every window will be
The live thumbnails have been restored to its full-size.
improved since Windows Vista.
Rolling over an icon on the
taskbar will show you NOTIFICATION AREA
thumbnails of the program. In
the case (above) there are two By default Windows 7 shows
tabs open in Internet Explorer three icons in the
and it will show you both tabs. notification area. The flag is
the new action centre, more
Rolling your mouse over a on that in a bit. Next is
thumbnail will show you the your network connection,
Window full size, making all either wired or wireless.
other windows transparent. The icon for wi-fi
This will also work for connections will show
minimised windows, it will connectivity and signal
restore them for you. strength. The final icon is
for sound. Clicking on it
will bring up the volume
control.


TASKBAR
JUMPLISTS
QUICK TIP The new Taskbar
also has jumplists
Running two for many
instances of a programs. You
program from can access these
either by right
the taskbar clicking on the
icon with your mouse
If a program is open or by left clicking with
your mouse and
clicking it’s taskbar pushing the mouse
icon will only upwards, away from
minimise and the icon.
maximise it. There
These jumplists can show
are two ways to you recent files and disk
open a new locations. They can also
instance of the contain features within a
program you may want to
program (say, two access easily.
explorer windows).

1) right click the icon PINNING ITEMS TO
and click on the
JUMPLISTS
name of the
program to open a You may want to pin
second instance of items to jumplists on
it. the taskbar.

2) click the scroll You can do this by right
clicking on the jumplist
wheel between the item and selecting pin /
buttons on your unpin to this list.
mouse (if you have
This can be used to gain
one) which will also quick access to documents
open a second or disk locations you use
instance of the regularly, such as a home
finance spreadsheet.
program

PINNING PROGRAMS
TO THE TASKBAR
If you want to pin a
program to the new
taskbar you can either
right click on it in the
Start Menu and select
Pin to Taskbar or right
click on it‘s icon when it is
running and do the same.

25

THE ACTION CENTRE The action centre is your
first port of call to diagnose
Clicking on the flag in the notification and fix problems with
area will bring up the action centre. Windows 7.
This is where all the alert messages,
informing you about things There are options here to
happening with your computer are to Troubleshoot problems
be found. with Windows or use QUICK TIP
Recovery tools if Windows
If there is a message this flag with needs repairing. Where have all
change from plain white to a flag the notification
with a red cross on it. Alerts will be colour-coded
red, yellow or green
area icons gone
The first alert you will see after depending how serious
installing Windows 7 is one advising Windows believes they are. Icons that the new
you to install anti-virus notification area
software. You can click on
the message to find out more hides by default can
about it or click on open be displayed by
action centre to see the action clicking a small up
centre full size.
It‘s in the full action centre arrow that appears
that you have control over next to the action
what alerts you choose to centre flag.
see. You can follow step-
though guides to fix common
problems and also view Clicking the
archived messages. customise link in the
window that
appears will allow
you to set
programs, such as
anti-virus software,
to always display in
the notification
area.


WINDOWS EXPLORER NAVIGATION PANE
As with previous versions The new navigation pane on
QUICK TIP of Windows, Windows the left side of explorer
Explorer is the main way windows allows quick access
you access and organise to Libraries, drives and your
your files and folders. It‘s network.
Customise your not changed much since
favourite links Windows Vista, but there Each section is collapsible and
are important changes folds out into a full tree. In
Customising the none the less. addition you can view your
Homegroup
favourite links in the (more on this
Navigation Pane on in the chapter
the left side of Connecting)
There is also a
explorer windows new Favourites
can be a section into
tremendous time which you can
drag and drop
saver. folders, drives
and other
Here you can drag locations for
and drop your quick and
easy access
favourite and most
to them.
commonly accessed
folders and drives, It‘s well
either on your own worth
spending
PC or on a local some time
network. By default now, starting putting your
Windows Explorer will most
It’s well worth show you the new commonly
Libraries. I‘ll write about used places
spending some time into the
these more later in this
setting this up. chapter. The toolbar along Favourites
the top of the screen now section as
has handy text labels that it‘s an
will change depending on enormous
the content you‘re looking time saver.
at. These commands will
allow you to do things from
creating folders to burning
files to CD or DVD.

The Breadcrumb bar also
still sits at the top of
Windows Explorer and I‘ll
talk about this more in a
moment.

The biggest change is the
Navigation pane along the
left side of the window.

27

THE BREADCRUMB BAR CHOOSING HOW TO
As with Windows Vista the
VIEW FILES
breadcrumb bar is your main QUICK TIP
way of navigating Windows The default way of viewing
Explorer through the drives files and folders is by no
and folders on your PC. means the only way of doing
so. Change the
Each section (folder) is default
separated by an arrow. In the top explorer view
Clicking this arrow will display right of
a drop-down menu that will explorer
allow you to instantly move to windows By default,
any other branch in that point are two Windows Explorer
of the tree. icons to will just show you
an alphabetical list
of a folder’s
contents.

It’s worth
customising this
view to another
that is more helpful
and better suits
your personal
For instance, in the image needs.
(above) you can see we‘re on
the Windows 7 (C:) drive, in Follow my step-by-
the Users folder and then in step guide on how
the Mike and Contacts folders,
both sub-folders of that. to do this later in
this chapter.

PREVIOUS LOCATIONS
In the top left of explorer
windows are left and right
arrows to take you to back
and forward between the change the view you can see.
folders and disks you‘ve Clicking the first icon will
looked at. bring up a slider control you
can use to change the
You can also thumbnail and icon size
jump directly for files and folders in
to anywhere that explorer view. You
you‘ve can also select other
recently been views here including List,
by clicking Details and my personal
the down favourites, the very
arrow interesting and helpful
between Tiles and Content.
these buttons
and the
breadcrumb
bar.


SORTING AND COLLAPSING GROUPS
GROUPING FILES When you are viewing files
QUICK TIP and folders organised by
By default the standard groups you can collapse some
view of files and folders in groups to make it easier to
Windows Explorer isn‘t very see and get access to the files
Sorting and helpful, being just a simple you want.
Grouping by alphabetical list. You can
more criteria change this as per previous At the left side of each group
versions of Windows easily is a small arrow you can click
though. to collapse and restore the
There are more group.
than just the Right clicking anywhere in a
standard criteria for blank space in the
explorer window will
sorting and bring up a context
grouping files. menu that will allow
Clicking on More... you to sort and
group files by
Will bring up a long different criteria
list of many such as when they
different criteria were last modified,
how big they are
you can sort files or, my personal
and folders by. favourite, what
type of file they are.
These include Exif
Sorting files by a
data from a digital
criteria will keep them
camera and artist as one large list. Grouping
and composer them will separate them WORKING WITH
details for music into groups determined by
the criteria you have set. FOLDERS
files.
While the Favourites in the
PREVIEWING FILES Navigation Pane and the
Breadcrumb bar make it easy
Different views to navigate through your files
and folders, if you have lots of
in different files sitting together in your
folders documents folder, creating
additional folders you can
The view you set for Just next to the help button move some files into can help
in the top right of explorer make things easier to find and
an individual folder organise.
windows is a button to
will not affect any toggle the preview pane.
others, so you can This will open up at the side The New Folder button on the
of the window and will give explorer toolbar will allow you
set different sets of to do this.
you a large preview of
folders to display many file types when you
files differently. click on
them.

29

THE DETAILS PANE You can change the size of
the details pane by right
clicking in it when
Along the bottom of explorer no file is selected
windows sits the details pane. and choosing how QUICK TIP
Clicking on a file will bring up big you want
information about that file from the size
here. This information could context menu Use the details
include the date the file was that appears. pane
created, it‘s size, tags or The bigger it is
ratings (for information on the more
tags and ratings see the information it will display. The details pane
chapter Searching). along the bottom of
explorer windows is
interactive, you can
use it to add and
update information
about a file, such as
its Tags or Rating
(see the chapter
Searching for ore
information on
these).

Want more
detail on files?

If you want more
details about the
files you click on
displayed in the
details pane you can
This can be especially useful
with digital photographs where
THE MENU BAR right click in the
the details pane can show details pane when
what camera the photo(s) Along the top of every no file is selected
were taken with, the resolution explorer window is the menu and change its size.
of the photograph and bar. The menu items will
additional information. change depending on the The bigger it is, the
content the window is more information it
displaying but can include will display.
options from sharing files to
burning them to disc.


HIDING PICTURE AND FLIP 3D
PHOTO NAMES
QUICK TIP With most photos from
digital cameras named A more attractive way to
Hide the DSC123 we don‘t really switch between windows is to
need to know what the hold down the Windows key
names of all names of the photos are. while also pressing the Tab
your pictures Fortunately we can turn key will bring up Flip 3D. This
this feature off when will show all your windows in
looking at a folder of an attractive three-
You might want to pictures. dimensional way.
hide the names of
all your pictures, Right click
anywhere in
especially if all the a blank
images on your PC space and in
tend to be digital the context
menu that
photographs. appears
select View
To do this right click and then
in any folder Hide file
displaying images names. You
will now only
and select View and see
Hide file names. thumbnails
of the
Then click on the pictures in
that folder.
Organise button in
the top left of the
explorer window
and Folder and
Search options from SWITCHING BETWEEN You can cycle through these
by pressing the Windows key
the menu that WINDOWS + Tab or by using the scroll
appears. wheel on your mouse.
There are two ways to
In the window that switch between open
pops up click on the windows. Hold down the
Alt key on your keyboard
View tab and press while pressing the Tab key
the Apply to folders will bring up each window
button. in a panel of
thumbnails across the
middle of your screen.

31

CHANGING THE DEFAULT VIEW IN WINDOWS EXP LORER

Click on the Change your view
button near the top right of any
explorer window.

Here you can select the view you like. My
preference is Tiles.

Right click anywhere in a
black space in the
explorer window and
select Sort by or Group by and
then select a criteria.

My preference is so group by Type.
This will separate files and folders into
their file type.

Click the Organise button in
the top left of the explorer
window and select Folder and
Search options.

In the window that appears, click on the View
tab and press the button Apple to Folders. All
your documents folders will not take on this
appearance.


REMEMBERING DRIVE LETTERS AND
WINDOWS SIZES FILE EXTENSIONS IN
QUICK TIP By default all Explorer
WINDOWS 7
windows will always open at
the same size, but this size Why do we need to see drive
Keep your may not suit you. The good letters (C:, D: etc) and file
documents safe news is that this is easily extensions (.doc, .pdf) in
changed. Windows? Fortunately they‘re
easily turned off.
By default all your
You can resize the window
documents are by dragging and dropping it
stored in the same from a corner. When you
place as Windows have it the size you want
hold down the ctrl key while
stores all its files. closing it. The next time
This means that if you open that windows it
disaster strikes and will be the size you want.
Windows 7 needs a
clean install, all MOVING YOUR
those documents
will be wiped. DOCUMENTS AWAY
FROM WINDOWS
You can use a
second hard disk or Your hard drive is a big
create a new block of storage space, a
partition on which bit like a garage. In this
space is installed your copy
to keep your files of Windows 7 and also kept
safely. Follow the here are all your
step-by-step guide documents, photographs,
music and video.
later in this chapter
for details on how Windows 7 is extremely
to do this and keep stable but disasters do
your documents, unfortunately happen.
Should your copy of
photographs and Windows 7 become corrupt
videos safe. and need a fresh install,
those files could be wiped.

You can back up your files
and restore them from that
but how recent will your
backup be? Will you still
lose files?
Click the Organise button in
A simpler way is to move the top left of an explorer
your files to another hard window and select Format and
disk or partition. When you search options. Under the
partition your hard drive, view tab you can untick Show
you divide it into several drive letters and toggle Hide
sections using software, extensions for known file
each of which is treated as types, which will be on by
its own drive. So if one of default.
those partitions needs to be
wiped, the others won‘t be.

33

MOVING YOUR FILES FOR DATA SECURITY
Moving your documents away from the drive Windows 7 is installed on can remove any
chance that your files will be lost if there is a serious problem with the operating
system.

If you have two separate hard disks on your PC, or your hard disk is already partitioned
into separate drives you can ignore steps 1 to 9 and go straight to step 10.

Always back up your files before doing
this. If you can move them to an external
disk while you partition your disk you will be
able to shrink your Windows 7 disk more.

PART 1—CREATING A NEW PARTITION
Firstly, make sure all your files are backed up.
Changing anything with the partition structure on
your computer can occasionally result in disaster!

Open the Start Menu and type computer
into the search box there. When
Computer Management appears, click to
run it.

If you already have third-party partitioning tools
you can also use those.

In the window that
appears click on Disk
Management in the left
column.

Next right click on your
Windows 7 drive and in
the context menu that
appears select Shrink Volume.


Windows will then tell you
how much space it can
shrink the drive to. Select
the amount you want.

You should leave your Windows 7 drive
as a minimum of 50Gb ideally, but
make sure you will have plenty of room
left for your files.

The shrinking process might take some
time so be patient. Press Shrink when
you are ready to start.

You will now see some disk
space that is marked as
unallocated. Right click in
this space and select New Simple
Volume.

The New Simple Volume
Wizard will now appear and walk
you through creating a new
partition. It will ask what size you
want it to be, use the maximum space
it offers, and what drive letter you
want to give it.

Finally it will ask if you want to format the
disk. Select NTFS and format it. You will
not be able to write files to the new
partition. [step continued on next page]

35

You now have a fresh partition. The next step
is to move your document folders to it.

PART 2—MOVING YOUR FILES
Open the Start Menu and
click on your name at the
top right to open your
user folder.

Select all the folders in the
user folder (except
Desktop which
doesn‘t like being
moved). You can do this
by holding down the CTRL
key and clicking each folder.

Right Click on one of
them when they are
highlighted and select
Cut.

Use the Navigation
Pane to find the new
empty partition you have
created. In any blank
space right click and select
Paste from the context menu
that appears.

You user folders will now be
moved to the new drive or
partition.


WORKING
Managing windows ............................................................................... 40
Aero Snap ................................................................................... 40
Aero Shake .................................................................................. 40
Turning off Aero Snap and Shake ................................................... 40
Accessibility ......................................................................................... 41
Magnifier ..................................................................................... 41
Ease of Access Centre ................................................................... 41
Scaling your desktop screen........................................................... 42
More on Windows Accessibility ....................................................... 42
Desktop Gadgets .................................................................................. 43
Calculator ............................................................................................ 43
Paint ................................................................................................... 43
Snipping tool ....................................................................................... 43
XPS Viewer .......................................................................................... 43
WordPad ............................................................................................. 44
Sticky notes ......................................................................................... 44
Other tools .......................................................................................... 44
Touch control ....................................................................................... 44
Multi-Touch gestures ..................................................................... 44
Multi-touch software ..................................................................... 45
Tablet PC Input Panel .................................................................... 45
On-Screen Keyboard ..................................................................... 45
Windows Journal .......................................................................... 45
Maths Input Panel ......................................................................... 45
Speech Recognition .............................................................................. 45
Media Player and Photo Viewer ............................................................... 46
Windows Live Essentials ................................................................ 46
Zune Player ................................................................................. 46
Sideshow............................................................................................. 46
Windows Mobility Centre ....................................................................... 47
Using a projector .................................................................................. 47
Multiple displays ................................................................................... 47
Uninstalling and repairing programs ........................................................ 48
Windows components ........................................................................... 48
Compatibility mode ............................................................................... 48

QUICK TIPS

Working on two windows side-by-side ..................................................... 40
Make accessibility easy ......................................................................... 41
Scaling the desktop .............................................................................. 42
The calculator ...................................................................................... 43
Press and tap = Right mouse click .......................................................... 44
Windows touch features availability ........................................................ 45
Parental control and Windows Live Essentials ........................................... 46
Work longer when you‘re mobile ............................................................ 47
Repair your programs ........................................................................... 48

APPENDIXES

Windows keyboard shortcuts...................................................... Appendix B

MANAGING WINDOWS AERO SHAKE
In part 2, Installing, I wrote
about some of the new and QUICK TIP
improved desktop features in
Windows 7. These included the Aero shake is a good way to
new show desktop button and get rid of all the windows on Working on
improved thumbnails on the the screen except the one
taskbar. There are yet more you are working on. two windows
enhancements to the Windows side-by-side
7 desktop to aid productivity. If you grab a window and
shake it with your mouse all
the other open windows on It’s easy to work on
AERO SNAP your screen will be two windows side-
automatically minimised. by-side in Windows
Aero snap is a new way to If you shake the window 7 using Aero Snap.
quickly use and arrange again the windows will be
windows on your screen. Aero restored to the desktop. Just drag one
snap works in two ways. window to the far
If you drag a window to the top left of your screen
of the screen it will maximise TURNING OFF AERO and the other to the
to fill your entire screen. SNAP AND SHAKE far right. They will
Dragging it back from the top
expand to fill
will restore it to its original size
Aero Snap and Aero exactly half of your
Alternatively if you drag a Shake can cause screen on each side
window to one side of the inconvenience for
people with motor so both can be seen
screen it will expand to fill
exactly 50% of your screen, problems. Go to the Ease of at once.
either left or right, depending Access centre in the Start
on what side of the screen you Menu and click on Make the
dragged it to. This can be mouse easier to use you can
extremely useful when working tick Prevent windows from
with, for example, two explorer being automatically
windows to move or compare arranged... to turn it off.
documents.

Dragging a window back from
the side of the screen will
return it to its previous size.


ACCESSIBILITY One especially useful feature
is called Let Windows suggest
Ease of Access Settings.
Over the years
QUICK TIP Microsoft has gone to This is a short questionnaire
great lengths to make that will recommend the
Windows as easy to settings you should change
Make use as possible, and with and take you directly to them,
accessibility Windows 7, things have all on one page for easy
been further improved. The management.
easy Getting Started panel, which
is the first thing to appear in
Open the Start the Start Menu after
Menu and type ease installing Windows 7, gives
you the option to change the
into the search box text size on the screen.
there. The option More about this later.
Let Windows
suggest ease of
access settings will
MAGNIFIER
appear.
Shortly after installing
Windows the
This is a wizard with Magnifier will arrear in
a short the Start Menu. This
questionnaire to is an excellent tool if you are
finding your way around,
help determine and finding access to the
what ease of access Ease of Access Centre
settings will be best difficult. It will increase the
size of everything on the
for you. screen and moves with your
mouse, making it easy to
When the get around the desktop.
questionnaire is
complete the
appropriate settings
will be displayed for
you, so you can The Ease of Access Centre is
switch them on if the control panel for everyone
who might have problems with
you wish. their sight, hearing, motor
control and concentration.

Everything in the Ease of
Access Centre is automatically
read out to you, if you have
speakers connected to your
PC.
EASE OF ACCESS If more than one person uses
CENTRE your PC, clicking Change
Administrative Settings in the
left hand pane will allow you
Opening the Start to also set these settings for
Menu and typing Ease the log-on screen.
into the search box
will bring up results
for the Ease of Access
Centre and associated
features.
41

SCALING YOUR There are two ways to get to
this setting.
DESKTOP SCREEN
In the Start Menu, open the
A new feature with
Getting Started panel and QUICK TIP
click on Change Text Size (in
Windows 7, and by far the Getting Started jumplist)
one of the best is the or Change the size of the Scaling the
ability to scale the text on your screen (in the
desktop by up to 150%. full window).
desktop

Many people can
find text and cons
hard to see on
today’s high
resolution
screens.
Opening the
Display settings
from the control
panel, right
clicking in any
empty desktop
space or from
within the Getting
This increases the size of Alternatively right click in Started window you
everything on the screen blank space on your desktop
without making your picture and select Screen Resolution can select Change
fuzzy. from the menu that appears. the size of text on
In the Window that opens your screen.
Until now the only way to do click the link Make text and
this was to reduce the other items larger or
smaller. This will scale
resolution on your screen.
This doesn‘t work well on flat everything o your
screen monitors as the picture screen by up to
distorts. The new scaling MORE ON WINDOWS 150% without
options get around this and
the effects are very sharp. ACCESSIBILITY blurring it, making
things considerably
You can find out easier to read.
more about the
accessibility
options in
Windows 7, and see
demonstrations at...

www.microsoft.com/enable


DESKTOP GADGETS
Right clicking anywhere in a
QUICK TIP blank space on your
desktop will bring up a
context menu from which
The Calculator you can select Gadgets.
These are the same utilities
The Windows formerly seen in Windows
Vista‘s now defunct Sidebar.
calculator has long You can drag and drop
been a forgotten these gadgets anywhere
feature, but in into your desktop and click
the link Get more gadgets
Windows 7 it has online to download more PAINT
been considerably from the Microsoft website.
improved and now Windows Paint is another
application that
includes conversion
has had a major
utilities, several makeover can
panel layouts and now includes
additional features image cropping
and scaling
such as mileage and features. As a
mortgage basic graphics
calculators. package it‘s now
reasonably
powerful and
features the
useful ribbon
interface first seen in Microsoft
Office 2007.
CALCULATOR
The calculator has been SNIPPING TOOL
significantly improved in
Windows 7. Clicking the
Typing snipping into the
View menu in it now brings
search box in the Start Menu
up a host of new features
will bring up the snipping tool.
including unit (length,
This can be used to capture
weight, volume etc.) and
areas of the screen as graphic
date conversion and
images.
mortgage calculations.

XPS VIEWER
Adobe‘s PDF may still
be the format of
choice for portable
documents but
Microsoft‘s XPS is still
with us. Windows 7
includes a built-in XPS
viewer so you can view
these files.

43

WORDPAD
Wordpad has had a
significant update QUICK TIP
with Windows 7 and
now not only uses the
helpful ribbon
interface first seen in
Press and tap =
Microsoft Office 2007 right mouse
but also will open click
Word 2007 and open
document format
files. There is a
way to
MULTI-TOUCH simulate the
STICKY NOTES right mouse click
GESTURES
with Windows 7
Formerly a Windows Vista multi-touch.
Sidebar gadget (but still There are two types
available to download as a of single finger
desktop gadget if you want), gesture, a tap and a If you press the
Sticky Notes are now an flick. A tap will act as screen with one
application of their own. You a mouse click, so tapping a
button will press the button finger and then tap
can pin these to the desktop
and resize them to the size you and double tapping an icon it with the other,
require. will open it for you. this will bring up
Two finger gestures extend context menus in
to software such as the same way as a
OTHER TOOLS Windows Photo Viewer, right mouse click
Word, Internet Explorer and
would.
Additional tools such as Google Earth.
Notepad, Sound Recorder, Fax
and Scan and DVD Maker are Taking hold of a picture or
all still in Windows 7 and have document and dragging
all been improved with this your fingers apart will zoom
edition. inwards. Conversely,
moving your fingers closer
together will zoom out. You
can also rotate images by
TOUCH CONTROL rotating your fingers on the
screen.

One completely new
feature in Windows 7 is
touch screen and multi-
finger touch screen
support on compatible
hardware you can use touch
and gestures to use Windows.
These gestures are applicable
to both one and two-handed
operation.


Windows 7 power users guide

Recomendados

Recomendados

Más contenido relacionado

La actualidad más candente

La actualidad más candente (20)

Destacado

Destacado (20)

Similar a Windows 7 power users guide

Similar a Windows 7 power users guide (20)

Windows 7 power users guide